Faith is a female given name of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'fæð', which means 'faith'. The name has been in use since the Middle Ages and was popular among the Puritans during the 17th century. Faith is often associated with religious themes due to its meaning, but it can also be used as a secular name.
The name Faith became particularly popular in the United States during the mid-20th century. It was consistently ranked among the top 500 names for girls between the years of 1936 and 1986. Despite its religious connotations, the name has been embraced by people of various faiths and backgrounds as a symbol of trust, belief, and confidence.
Some notable individuals with the name Faith include Faith Evans, an American singer-songwriter known for her collaborations with Notorious B.I.G., and Faith Ford, an American actress best known for her role in the sitcom "Murphy Brown". The name has also been used in literature and popular culture, such as in the novel "Faith" by Zusak, which tells the story of a young girl named Faith living during World War II.
In summary, Faith is a female given name of English origin that means 'faith'. While it has religious connotations, it has also been embraced as a secular name. The name has been popular in the United States since the mid-20th century and has been carried by notable individuals throughout history.
The name Faith experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the past century and a half. Initially, it was quite uncommon, with fewer than 10 births per year from 1880 to 1907. However, starting around 1908, there was a gradual increase in its usage, reaching double digits annually.
The name's popularity peaked during the late 1990s and early 2000s, with over 5,000 births per year between 1997 and 2004. In fact, Faith became one of the top ten most popular names for girls in the United States during this period.
However, since around 2005, there has been a consistent decline in the popularity of the name Faith. By 2022, it had fallen out of the top 1000 most popular names for girls in the U.S., with only 1,256 births recorded that year.
Overall, despite its early rarity and recent decrease in popularity, the name Faith has been given to over 145,000 girls in the United States between 1880 and 2023.